For years, aGod of Warlive-action adaptation has been rumored to be in the works. Originally rearing its head as an adaptation ofGod of War’s Greek saga, the infamous in-development adaptation never saw the light of day, but that’s finally about to change. Just a few weeks ago, Amazon confirmed that it’s currently working on a live-actionGod of Warseries that, according to its official description, seems to be following the events ofGod of War2018 pretty closely. And while it may be tempting for Amazon to rush straight to the climactic battles ofGod of War Ragnarok, it’s vital that the show takes its time.
Though it may have lost out toElden Ringfor Game of the Year,God of War Ragnarokis a brilliant sequel that ties a neat bow on the Norse saga while providing plenty of opportunities for the series to grow in the future. Wrapping up the Norse saga’s character dynamics and overarching plot points in a satisfying, climactic way, it seems only natural that Amazon would want to take its audience straight to the events ofRagnarok, but doing so would be detrimental.
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Amazon’s God of War Series Needs to Take Its Time
In Amazon’s official description of itsupcomingGod of Warseries, a brief plot synopsis is given. The show is set to follow Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a quest to spread their wife and mother’s ashes, seemingly following the events ofGod of War2018. This is already a lot of content for Amazon to unpack. The story ofGod of War2018 is a dense one, packed to the brim with world-building and interwoven character dynamics, all of which are integral aspects of what made the game so great.
Amazon needs to take its time with itsGod of Warseries to ensure that nothing important is missed out or skipped over. While side stories and all the game’s free-roam segments can be creatively skipped, there are a lot of moments inGod of War2018 that simply need to stay, and it’s going to take quite a few hours to deliver those moments in a satisfying way.God of War2018’s main campaign is around 20 hours long, and it all contains dialogue and plot beats that are integral totheGod of Warstory, making it a compelling and complex narrative.
On top of the events ofGod of War2018, Amazon also needs to show at least some of Kratos' Greek backstory. While not all ofGod of War’s Greek saga is essential viewing to understanding the events and character motivations of the Norse saga, a general overview is necessary if audiences are expected to understand and care about Kratos' emotional state at the start of the story. The easiest way for the Amazon show to do this is by delivering a few keyGreek moments in flashback form, though this will still take up screen-time.
Some of the most beloved elements of the rebootedGod of Warseries are its characters and story, and in order to make the live-action show as acclaimed, Amazon needs to take its time to flesh out each character, their backstory, and their complex motivations. While Amazon may be tempted to rush straight to the big battles and well-known Norse gods, it’s vital that theGod of Warshow doesn’t just jump toGod of WarRagnarok, as the game’s events just won’t hit as hard if audiences don’t care about the relationships that drive them.
God of War Ragnarokis available on PS4 and PS5.
